Machine for setting articles such as buttons and the like.



0. S. BICKFORD.

IVIACHiNE EUR SETTING ARTICLES SUCH AS BUTTONS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION man 1uNE1o. 1912.

` Patelltd Allg. 31, 1915.`

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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`A TTORNEYS s. BICKFORD. I MACHINE FOR SETTING ARTICLES SUCH AS BUTTONS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I0. 1912.

Patented Aug. 31, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

V/// /Ze INVENTOR,

By my! ATTURNEYJ IVITNESSES:

o. s. BlCKFoRD. MACHINE'FOR SETTING ARTICLES SUCH AS BUTTONS AND THE LIKE.

' Patented Aug. 31, 1915.

.APPLICATION FILED4 JUNE I0. I9I2.-

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

w f h JLV'NTOR, Oramai 5f z'cv fold,

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A TTORNEHS 0.5. BICKFORD. MACHINE' EoR sEmNG ARTICLES sucH As BUTTONS ANg THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE IO, I9I2. l Lge Patented Aug'. 31., 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

W'YNESSES: IAVVENTOR,

@mnd ESI Eat/@2rd,

ATTORNEY$` enterrar. s. menno OF GREENFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR A'IO LUTHER B.

.WESSBR F GREENFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

'macinvnvnron snr'rrne anrrcnns SUCH as Burrows Anzo 'rnn LIKE.

rasante.

i To all 'whom 'it may concern.'

Be it knownthat l, RAMELS. BIGKFORD, a citizen of the United States 0f America, residing at Greenfield, in the county of Franklin and State of Massachusetts, have invented lnew and usefuLImpi-ovements in Machines for Settingrticles Such as Buttons and the like, ofwhich the following is A a specification. v

his inventionv relates to a machine for automatically feeding a device or devices of one kind to a position where said devices may be fastened to any suitable article and then fastening said devices to said article.

Specifically the invention relates to a machine for fastening buttons, each button being made of two parts, into leather orother material.

The object of the invention is to provide a machine which will be automatic in operation and Aoperate eiiciently to fasten, lor set and fasten, the part or parts of a button or the like into any desired material. @ther objects of the invention will appear in the detailed-description and anneXed claims.

ln thedr'awings forming part of this application, Figure l is a front elevation of the machine with a partshown in section, taken along the line 1-1, of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a sectional view along line 2--2, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a'pla-n view of the machine. Fig. 4. is a sectional view through the head of the machine showing, on a larger scale than Fig. 2, the arrangement of the operating mechanisxn .F ig. 5 is a sectional View taken on the line 5-5, Fig. 2. Figr is a sectional view ofthe head of the machine with certain parts broken away to best show the mechanism for throwing back the slide car rying the feedingguides. Fig. 7 is a top view with part broken away showing the arrangement of the feed hopper, the exit openings therein, and the brushes coperating therewith. Fig. 8 isa section of the same taken on line 8-8Fig. L Fig. 9 is a cross sectional view of one of the feedguides. Fig. 10 is a partial cross sectional view ofthe fastening heads showing the way in which two coperating parts of a glove, or other fasteningbutton, are brought together and fixed in a piece of leather. Fig. 1l is a top view of thel end of one of the feed guides. Fig. 12 is a view of a modification.

Specication of Letters Patent.

- Application led .lune 10,1912. Serial No. 702,794.

Patented Ang. 331i, igi.

The two parts-of a button for a glove or pocket-book fastener are fed one down each The top fasteningl of the feeding guides. slide or head moves to pick up one piece and the bottom fastening slide or head moves to pick up the other from the guides; then the said heads remain stationary for a short time. l/Vhen these two parts are held, one by each fastening head, the feed guides move backwardly out of the way, vsaid movement taking place while the vheads are stationary, and then'the two parts are brought together by further movement of the heads and fastened .into a piece of leather, either on a suitable guide-table or placed directly over one part in interlockingrelationin a manner to be described in detail.

Referring to Fig. l, the motor a drives the shaft b which, in turn, drives the shaft *a through suitable speed reducing means.

A spur gear e fast on the latter shaft meshes with, and drives the gear d fast on the shaft m. Fixed to the face of the gear d is a toothed clutch e. A casting embodying-the brake-disk 0 and the cam n, isvloose on the shaft m and contains a spring-pressed doglatch f normally engaging the clutch e. An

lso

arm g, pivoted at t on the frame fv, isv spring:

pressed radially a ainst the inner face of the brake-disk o se Fig. 2). The front end of the arm g is pointed and beveled so that when. the brake-disk rotates with the gear d, due to the clutch e, the radially projecting portion of the latch f will be cammed against its spring and cause the latch to disengage the clutch. As long as the arm g is normally held by its spring to cause the disengagement ofthe clutch, the shaft' m will rotate Without turning the cam n. When it isdesired to rotate the cam n, the arm g is pulled downwardly into the position shown in Figs. l and 2, whereuponthe latch f engages the clutch -e land the cam n is turned with the shaft m. If after the cam n starts to rotate, the arm g is allowed to go to normal position, the cam will make just one revolution and stop, for the arm gk will disengage the latch f from the clutch e, as described. This intermittent rotation y of the cam n is desired in some cases and is obtained by mechanism to be described. A foot-pedal y is fast to the" shaft k which carries a spring-grossed lever on a plate as seen in Fig. the shaft It is roched clockwise, it rocks a bell-.crank lever pivoted` the foot pedal continues, the lever i passes beyond the bell crank lever allowing it to be returned tol normal position by the action of the spring 31, as it returned the arm g to the normal position. The arm g, in the latter position, stops the cam after one revolution. As the foot pedal returns counterclockwise, the spring-pressed lever z' passes the bell crank without rocking it. A movable frame g, pivoted on thel fixed frame c, is lowered by the rotation of the cam-fn, as the latter bears against the engaging portion s. A strong spring p holds the engaging portion s firmly against the cam surface. The latter isdesigned to lower the frame g slowly against the spring and then allow said spring to raise the frame g quickly into the y heads.

`preach forcing the lower part of the button position shown in Fig. 2. As the frame is raised quickly to this position, a brake-shoe r (see Fig. 1) isv forced against the brakedisk 0 to stop the rotation of the cam in the position shown in Fig. 2. Mounted in the frame g is a shaft manually turned by adjusting the wheel w. The vertical rod u is mounted eccentrically on the shaft, as indi cated in Fig. 2, so that if the Wheel is turned, the rod u is raised or lowered with respect to the frame. As the frame g is lowered slowly and raised quickly,'the rod u is given the same movement to operate mechanism and obtain the results hereinafter de` scribed.

Referring to Figs. 2 and e: The parts of a button are held one in the guide 15 and the other in the guide 16. As the sliding heads F and E approach one another, the button part held by the guide 15 enters the opening 1n the part G and the spring H holds said part therein. The part held by the guide 16 is picked up by the pin 1 yieldmgly mounted'on the sliding head E. After the two parts of the button have been thus picked up by the sliding heads, the latter stop momentarily in their movement toward veach other and the guides 15 and 16 are then moved backwardly leaving the two parts of the button in alinement held by the" sliding The latter then continue to apthrough the hole in the leather piece J and into the upper part of the button,.as shown in Fig. 6. y The sliding heads, on continuing to approach each other, force the parts of the button into the interlocking relation inproper' position on the leather piece. In this last operation, the pin 1 is forced downwardly against its spring) L, and any extra force or Jar is taken up y this spring and theyielding of the part K which has a lower beveled end to force the horizontal party M against spring which is regulated by the nut `N. This last described detailed con-v struction is for the purpose of giving a uniform pressure on the button parts when attaching them to leather of varying thicknesses, the spring back of the part M being adjusted by the nut N to just balance the outward pressure of the leather on the button parts, the result being that if a thicker piece of leather i's used, the spring will be closed instead of the leather being cut through by the bur on the edge of the button parts.

Referring further to Figs. 2 and 4: The part Z, formed like a bell crank lever, is fixed on the shaft A and has a slot with end adjusting stop screws V. ln this slot a block U slides which latter is pinned to lone arm of the lower bell crank lever C mounted loosely on the shaft A. The lever C has one arm engaging the sliding head E, to give movement thereto, and the other arm is provided with several teeth engaging like teeth in one end of the upper bell crank D mounted on the shaft B. The bell crank D has its other arm engaging the sliding head F to impart movement thereto. As the rod u is slowly iowered, as previously described, it rocks the bell crank Z clockwise from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 4. Duringthis movement from the one position `to the other of the bell crank Z, the block U remains in contact with the right-hand end.

limiting screw V, and thebell cranks C and D move through the same angle as the crank Z because of their connections hereinbefore described. This angular movement is sufficient for the sliding heads E and F to approach and pick up the parts of the buttons. The reason the bell crank C moves through the angle stated is because of its operating connection with the spring R. When the right-hand limiting screw of the bell crank Z moves to the right, the spring R is permitted to force the pivoted arms Q and O downwardly. An arm T, fixed to the crank, is mounted in a long slot of the arm O and pressed to the upper limit of said slot by the spring P. The spring R, therefore, turns the crank C, when permitted by the clockwise movement of the crank Z, through an angle determined by the stop-screw S. This angle is fixed so that the resulting movement of the 'sliding heads will be suicient to pick up the parts of the button. After the bell crank C has moved through this angle, it can not move-farther until the continued downward movement of the rod u turns the crank Z so that the left-hand limiting screw V f strikes the block U` and forces the crank C mechanism to throw the guides and 16 back leaving the parts of the button held by the sliding heads.

Referring to Figs. 3 to 6: The guides 15 and 16 lead from the feed hoppers, which are suitably mounted on the sliding plate Y, fixed in proper guides at the top of the machine. This plate is normally pressed forward to the position shown in Fig. 4 by a spring-operated rod 14 mounted in the frame Y (see Figs. 3 and 6). A long arm X is looselyv mounted on the shaft A and at its upper end has a connection with the sliding plate Y to against the spring-pressed rod 14. The arm 2 is so placed on the shaft A that it turns tol throw the sliding plate back during the time that the crank Z is turning, and the crank C is standing still after the sliding heads have picked off the parts of the button from the guides. When the guides 15 and 16 are out of alinement with the-sliding heads (see Fig. 6), the continued movement of the crank Z will cause the crank C, and thus the'two' sliding heads, to press the parts ofthe button together, one on each side of the leather.

The cam n then allows the rod u to returnquickly to its original and normal position,

whereupon the other parts all return to normal position, as shown in Fig. 2. A rod I is pivoted to the main frame to aid in properly placing the `leather or other article which is to have the button fastened therein. A spring 17 (see Fig. 3) normally holds the upper end of this rod against a stop-pin 18 on the forward end of the sliding head Y. When all of the parts are in normal position, as shown in Fig. 4, the end of the rod I is in alinement with the parts of the button held by the sliding heads. The leather may then be placed with its punched hole where the buttonis to be fastened, directly under l the small ball attached to the lower end of have returned to the normal the rod I. As the sliding plate Y moves rearwardly, the pin or stop 18 turns the rod I on' its pivot against the action of the spring 17 thus moving the lower end of the rod I forward and up out of the way of the button parts as they are fastened in the leather. If

it is not desirable to feed the leather against a stop gage, as shown on thetable 5, Fig. 1, or to locate it by means of the ball ot* guiderod I, the machine may be arranged yso that, instead of its stopping when allvthe parts osition, as hereinbefore described, the machine will stop at that part of its movement when the sliding heads have just picked up the button parts and the guides have receded. At this point, the lower part of the button will just project up above the surface of the table 5 when the leather is placed to position over the lower part of the button by allowing the lower part of the. button to project up through the punched hole in the leather.

-Then a pressure on the treadle. starts the machine when the sliding heads merely approach each other to lock'the button parts, when the leather is removed and another piece picked up while the machine parts go through their various motions, as before described, and stop again just after the button parts have been picked up. In order to get the operations just described it is only necessary to re-arrange the stopping mechanism, as by changing the position of the latch f and re-arranging the operation of the braking mechanism. feed hoppers and guides 15 and 16, back' The manner in which the parts of the button are fed will now be described: Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11, the feed hoppers-are carried by inclined extensions of thesliding plate Y, as stated, and rotatably mounted on the shaft 19 (see Fig. 9). Each hopper cylinder is provided with an exterior ratchet with which the holding pawl 11 and driving pawl 12 coperate.

-The latter is mounted on an angle arm 13 (see Fig. 3) so that it may be thrown into andout of operative relation to the ratchet. As the hoppers move back with the sliding plate Y, at each operation the pawls 12 rotate the hoppers to stir up their contents. If desired, the bottom of the hoppers may be stationary so that the relative movement of the sides of the hopper and the contents thereof will stir the latter to a considerable extent in order that they may readily leave the openings in the sides. up the contents of the hopper, a collar hold-y ing aseries of radially extending brushes 2O -is fastened to the shaft 19. An extension of guards 10 until they enter (one following 125 the other) the guides 15 or 16, as the case may be. As a rule the parts enter these guides in the proper position for the-sliding heads E and F to operate in fastening them to. the leather, but it frequently happens To further stir 7 i heads may take them as previously `described. This modification is indicated in I Fig. 12 by the guide 16. In Fig. 11 one part ofthe button is shown ready to be picked up by the sliding head. The spring 25 holds the parts in place. When thev guide 15 is thrown back, after the part has entered the hole in the sliding-head (see Fig. 10), the spring 25 is pushed back into the slot 26, but immediately takes its normal position after the one part held by the sliding head passes by the spring. A very thin springplate 27 is so placed that its ed e stops the button part from leaving the gui e 15, allowing the lower edge of the button part to slide underneath, and when the sliding head comes down to grasp the top of the button part, this plate 27 remains between the edge of the button and the sliding head until it is drawn back with the guide 15.

While applicant has described a specific machine, in detail, the invention therein may be carried out by other specific constructions; for that reason the invention, broadly, is not limited to the specific machine herein described.

1. I1n a machine of the class described, two reciprocable members, operative means to move said members toward and away from each other, mechanism to automatically render the approaching movement of the members intermittent, and feeding means to feed devices one to each reciprocating member on part of their approaching movement "'z whereby said devices will be forcedv into interlocking relation on the completion of the approaching movement.

2. In a machineof the class described, two reciprocating members, operative means to move said members toward and away from each other, mechanism to automatically render the approaching movement of the members intermittent, feeding means positioned to normally feed devices one to each reciprocating member as the latter finishes part of its approaching movement, and operativev means to move said feeding means out of its normal position as said members finish their approaching movement, all for the purpose described.

3. The combination in a machine for setting buttons and the like, of two reciprocable members, operative means for moving said members' toward each other to pick up the parts of a button and fasten them therebetween, feeding guides arranged to feed merece one button part to `each member as it ap- `ting articles such as buttons, of two members reciprocable to and from abutting position to set said articles, positioning means to position material to receive the articles between said members, feeding devices to feed the articles into alinement with said members, and operative means to automatically move said reciprocable members slowly toward each other and rapidly away from each other.

5. The combination in a machine for setting articles, such as buttons, of a positioning device to fix the material to receive the article, reciprocating members in alinement to set the article in thematerial, operative mechanism for said reciprocating members arranged to give an intermittent slow approaching and a rapid separating movement thereto, and means associated with said operative mechanism to cause an appreciable temporary stop in the approaching movement of said members, feeding guides to guide and feed said articles into alinement with the reciprocating members in position to be taken and held thereby, and means asarticles thereon, operative mechanism toV move said members against one another to set the articles in a suitable material held therebetween, said mechanism comprising two connected bell crank levers one connected with one member and one with the other member, an operating rod and means to automatically give said levers a slow movement in one direction, and a rapid movement in the otherdirection.

7. The combination in a machine for Setting articles such.- as buttons, of two reciprocating members having means to hold the articles thereon, operative' mechanism to move said members toward one another to set the articles'in a suitable material with an appreciable stop in such movement, feeding v eating member and one the other, a third bell crank lever fast on the shaft of one of -the other levers which letter is loosely' 4mounted on the seme shaft, a slot formed in the third lever, a, block fast to one of the other levers and adapted to slide in said slot, an operating rod pivoted to the third lever, together with mechanism to give it a sloW movement in one direction and a rapid movement in the other direction, and springoperated means to cause the lever With the block to follow the third lever during part of its slow movement, then hold the lolock` stationary While the slide moves relative thereto, and e yielding connection in said spring-operated means to allow the three bell crank levers to move together during the lastv part of the said slow movement after the said spring-operated means has ceased to, act.

ORAMEL S. BICKFORD. vWitnesses:

CHARLES H. SLoooMB, MILIA L. BALLOU. 

